ISRAEL: Local Airline Starts Background Checks On ACMI Operator Crews
TEL AVIV, Israel: An Israeli carrier has begun independent background checks on foreign crews operating ACMI flights. The airline contracted an Israeli cyber firm to scan social media activity of 2,500 pilots and cabin crew.
TEL AVIV, Israel
- An unspecified Israeli carrier has begun independent background checks on foreign crews operating ACMI flights on its behalf, in the wake of the recent flydubai flight FZ1073 attempted hijacking.
- Channel 12 says the airline has contracted an Israeli cyber firm to scan the social media activity of 2,500 pilots and cabin crew.
- The checks cover content and statements posted on social networks.
- The carrier is said to have acted without waiting for final conclusions on the flight FZ1073 incident by Israel's internal security service.
- While ideal for allowing Israeli carriers to adjust their capacity according to fluctuating seasonal as well as geopolitical demand, ACMI operations use foreign aircraft and crews that are not vetted by Shin Bet.
- Arkia currently wet-leases in A320 capacity from each of Heston Airlines/Valletta Airlines, Electra Airways, Cambodia Airways, fly Lili, and A330s from Hi Fly Malta. For its part, El Al uses multiple Klasjet 737-800s.
- In July, about 70 per cent of Arkia’s flights and 56 per cent of Israir’s were operated by aircraft and crews leased from foreign airlines, including Bulgaria’s GullivAir and Electra Airways, Romania’s Fly Lili and Portugal’s Hi Fly. El Al said 5 to 8 per cent of its flights were on foreign aircraft. Sun d’Or was about 5 per cent.
- A wet-leased flight does not have to have the Shin Bet package required on an Israeli aircraft: no armed sky marshals, no missile-defence system, and, on a departure from abroad, no extra Israeli passenger screening or profiling. Coverage is the responsibility of the foreign airport.
- Israir said the use of a lighter security regime was presented to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and approved, and that a 2021 easing let it operate flights under its own name rather than a foreign code.
- Among other measures, the Israeli Ministry of Transport has banned foreign airlines from using crew members who are citizens of countries without formal diplomatic relations with Israel from operating or traveling on Israel-bound flights.
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